President Obama and Mitt Romney are campaigning hard in the so-called battleground states, like Ohio. Iowa and Wisconsin are also treated as critical swing states, but Minnesota is not. Today’s Question: Do you wish Minnesota were considered a swing state?

In the most recent govenor’s race it was split 50-50 and the most recent senate race it was split

50-50. My concern with a 50-50 spit in the current presidentidal election is the final outcome would be left to Mark Ritchie, a follower of the Joseph Stalin School of Voting, “The votes decide nothing, the people who count the votes decide everything.”

Scott

No way. I’m glad I love in a democratic state. This election business is too polarizing as it is and add a saying state it would be worse. We need election reform badly. This has been going on for almost two years and after this election they will start talking about the next one and how this election affects that one. Pitiful.

reggie

@Clark,

I think you’re confusing Minnesota with Florida in 2000, when that state’s Republican Secretary of State handed the general election to Bush, and a Supreme Court of partisans backed her up.

To the question, no, I wouldn’t wish “swing state” status on anyone. The main impact of being a swing state is an increase in negative advertising. That may be good for media companies, but does nothing for civil discourse.

Gary F

Am I burned out by political TV ads? Yes. Am I tired of it all? Yes.

Am I glad the Peoples Republic of Minnesota is growing more purple, YES.

Jim G

No. I’m unhappy with the number and quality of paid political ads already. Although, we do have split government in Minnesota. The last Republican majority legislative session was a disaster for the state. Two anti-democratic, partisan amendments are on the ballot.

The Republican leadership’s plan is to increase conservative voting numbers. On Nov. 6th I am the voting NO on both the Marriage Restriction, and the Voter Restriction amendments. Our state hasn’t had the reputation for taking rights away, let’s not start down the path to exclusion. Our constitution should be about protecting our rights, not taking them away. The tyranny of the majority may target your social, racial, or religious group next. No one will be safe from exclusion. In the fight for freedom, either we stand together or fall one at a time to these economic, political, and religious bullies – and enemies of the liberty.

Bono

I think more “poly” than “swing”.

Gemma

If we had runoff voting we would definitely be a poly State not a swing state. Libertarians and Greens would rank higher than Democrats and Republicans on my “poly not swing” ballot, so would the Pagan Party. Polyamory and agape: Let’s be excellent to each other and party on!

Live free.

justacoolcat

Absolutely not. No. No way. Please never.

GregX

As long as the paranoid MN-GOP is running around shutting down ballot boxes, rejecting voters on specious charges and threatenting everyone from 94 year-old grandmothers to college students with election fraud … it can’t possibly happen. the only swinging will be freedom from a noose.

Francis

Someday soon we’ll be voting directly from our DNA/CNS networks. We can swing, swim, spin and fly…multi-genetic consensus will be the way to go as uncommon compassion becomes common place and synchronicity the Standard time zone.

Paul

Wishing is too occult and Halloween for me.

You do too much of that and the next thing you know is that you have more politicians lying, pundits obfuscating, and promoters haranguing – boo!

Michael Silverback

Only if the ropes of the swing were made from Minnesota grown hemp that was made legal by leaders, legislators, judges … and THE PEOPLE.

Otherwise, as long as the Prohibition of Cannabis/hemp is held in place, the swing is just an artificial choice between two positions. The Foucault pendulum swing would better demonstrate effective options to “choose” from. I agree with Gemma, “Live Free”.

Emily

Absolutely not. I don’t want either of the candidates in our state more than they need to be fighting for our acceptance and fundraising dollars. We see enough political commericals as it – it would be MUCH worse if we were a swing state.

Steve the Cynic

It would be nice to be paid more attention to, but I wish for the screedvertisements about like I wish for dental work without novocain.

Lawrence

Like last week’s question about the electoral college, people’s vote for swing state status generally reflects who may or may not be getting their candidate of choice for the Oval Office. This year, probably a lot of Republicans will wish we were a swing state because it means there’s a greater chance Obama will lose the election. Twenty years from now, Democrats may feel that way because there is a better chance the Republican may lose. Historically, there are positives and negatives of being a swing state. Level-headed politicians generate better policy because the electorate isn’t married to one agenda or another. In state’s where there aren’t level-headed politicians, nothing gets done, because each side digs into an issue and does everything it can to prevent consensus. States that are all kind of one way in their thinking may give everybody what they want, but in so doing-they may cause their state to stagnate rather than adapt. Change for change sake isn’t necessarily good, but stay status quo isn’t necessarily good either because the earth tends to force some kind of change on us whether we want it to or not. Like most things in life, moderation is usually the key to success.

Lawrence in Mankato

First off, Minnesota is not a Democratic state. Obama won by less than 2%? Only the inner city and closest suburbs vote predominantly DFL Progressive.

The current polls show MN is near a dead heat and the DFL is scared. That is why the DFL had the once respected AP put out a stupid poll to give the impression more whites are racists today if they are against Obama and for Romney. Using the race card again when the DFL is in trouble is so cheap but more so, it shows once again that most DFL leaders are actually the racist ones. Recall Biden ‘s comments since 2008 or Obama’s book and speech comments, e.g., : My grandmother was a TYPICAL WHITE PERSON_ she’d cross street when we were out, if she saw a black person coming towards us.”

The DFL had to has out Mormonism last month but failed to interview their own Progressive lib, and a Mormon_Harry Reid, Senate leader and Obama’s water carrier.!

The Benghazi scandal showing Obama as either incompetent or as a cover up, by his ignoring our own people will bring MN to realize that the old “white man’s guilt” and buying into other Socialist Progressive lies is not_ the way for the country to survive. In the Marines, ” We leave No man behind” motto is something Obama does not support. Obama is like the weak neutered husband who allows his wife and kids to be slapped by a neighbor because he doesn’t want to look bad, or to give a bad impression to others that he might get angry and stand up.

The CIA and Security Dept records show there is a tape of the event, that Obama watched it in live time and refused to send the order to save our people at the consulate. Obama is as bad as Nutless peanut farmer President Carter.

.

Plato

Oddly enough Republicans are like Hindus and Catholics, Democrats are like Buddhists and Protestants. There was an evolution from one to the other, Republicans to Democrats, Hindus to Buddhists and Catholics to Protestants. The swinging between belief systems helped to integrate some of the differences, however we need to go meta to those antiquated systems and take into consideration the perspectives of the marginalized third parties, internet communities and common sense.

An egalitarian, ecological, entheogenic, e-clectic, emergence is inevitable as we co-evolve with this unfolding Mult-iVerse.

kevins

Uh Oh…Linda morphed into Lawrence. Still annoying. Minnesota is a swing state, if you consider our 7th district congressman, Colin P, who is a Democrat in name only. Also seems we alternate between D and R Govs most times, except for Tim who wrecked the state while making us all feel good about it. Blue works for me…I’m voting for Obama.

Leonard

Minnesota can never be a swing state because our favorite media prevents open real discussions. Take a look around the local stations including right here. how many stories do you see about the biggest scandal in 40 years_ Benghazi?

As a true patriot wrote, ” Having spent a good bit of time nursing a GLD (ground Laser Designator) in several garden spots around the world, something from the report jumped out at me.

One of the former SEALs was actively painting the target. That means that Specter WAS ON STATION! Probably an AC130U. A ground laser designator is not a briefing pointer laser. You do not “paint” a target until the weapons system/designator is synched; which means that the AC130 was on station.

Only two places could have called off the attack at that point; the WH situation command (based on POTUS direction) or AFRICOM commander based on information directly from the target area.

If the AC130 never left Sigonella (as Penetta says) that means that the Predator that was filming the whole thing was armed.

If that SEAL was actively “painting” a target; something was on station to engage! And the decision to stand down goes directly to POTUS!

There is also the issue of the former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods and a small team that ignored orders to stand down after they requested permission to go and help.

I will vote no. This is a misguided amendment. There have never been significant numbers of confirmed cases of voter fraud at the MN polls. Plus the amendment language doesn’t appear on the ballot so voters really don’t know the extent to which this will deprive the elderly, those who don’t drive, students, and others of the right to vote. It is a malicious, cynical and pernicious ploy by the ultra right to restrict voting rights in the hopes of turning Minnesota more “pink” tilting toward red, since we are currently a “blue” state. Republicans have taken it into their hands to do something in the legislature they could not accomplish otherwise. It is a sickening and disgusting misuse of political power. I hope Minnesotans wake up and in response not only defeat this amendment but significantly punish republican legislators at the polls.

Johannim

WHY are white Americans so engrossed in guilt over the slavery of Black Africans, I am an immigrant to this country and never grew up with or was tainted with this liberal reactionary virus. I do have something to say to black african americans descended from slaves, bfd, my ancesters were surfs and slaves in Europe for a thousand years and we do not run around this country pissing and moaning like many american africans i have encountered. White America needs to grow up and begin to realize the scam pulled on them in the last 50 years by the Socialist liberal oligarchy. That hegemony of neo marxists is called the Democratic party once the biggest advocates for the institution of slavery, and to black Americans, the Caucasians who are the vast majority of countries people are beginning to wake up to this vitriolic “Marx-Democratic” GUILT trip,

Herbert Doering

I am a sustaining member,# 149101. I was listening to the 5 pm news, All Things Considered, and I am upset to hear 4 different sound bites from Romney telling his lies, then there is 1 sound bite from our PRESIDENT. I don’t that 4 to 1 is fair! Shame on you and the staff. Why don’t you replay the sound bite where Romney said the first thing he would do as President would be to KILL Big Bird! I am disgusted by your sucking up!